Utah State keeps it close against Sun Devils
The Aggies stayed within striking distance of 16th-ranked Arizona State but lost 26-16 in Tempe.
The Sun Devils took advantage of a couple of big plays to keep the game out of reach. Utah State pulled to within nine points in the third quarter and outscored Arizona State in the second half, but the comeback attempt fell short.
With the score 26-16 late in the fourth quarter, Utah State had a fumble-recovery touchdown brought back by a penalty. The score would have given USU a chance to attempt an onside kick and complete its comeback.
On the play, USU quarterback Travis Cox hit wide receiver Barry Tolli on a pass at the ASU 20. Tolli fumbled the ball to the 2-yard line where USU receiver Tony Pennyman took the ball in to the end zone, but a holding penalty on Utah State nullified the play.
The Aggies had other chances, forcing four turnovers by the Sun Devils, but could not convert any of them into points.
Utah State Head Coach Mick Dennehy said he wasn’t happy with the loss but he was pleased with his team’s effort against the No. 16 team in the country.
“I think our guys played for four quarters as hard as they have ever played,” Dennehy said in a radio interview after the game.
Aggie quarterback Travis Cox passed for a season-high 308 yards and one touchdown. Cox completed 26 of 53 passes, but also threw three interceptions, one of which was returned for a score by ASU.
Pass protection was once again a problem for Utah State as Cox was sacked seven times.
Running back David Fiefia led Utah State in both rushing and receiving. He finished with 78 yards on 20 carries and caught 8 passes for 82 yards. Tight end Chris Cooley added 78 yards on eight catches.
Arizona State quarterback Andrew Walter threw for two touchdowns. He was 20-of-37 passing for 277 total yards. ASU wide receiver Skyler Fulton had a big night, catching both of the touchdown passes to go with 172 yards receiving.
ASU scored on just its third play from scrimmage when Walter found Fulton for a 44-yard touchdown pass. ASU missed the PAT kick to take the lead 6-0.
Utah State dodged one bullet at the start of the second quarter when Sun Devil Loren Wade fumbled the ball near the goal line and lost it out the back of the end zone for an Aggie touchback.
USU couldn’t dodge the second bullet. Arizona State sacked Cox back to the 13-yard line and forced a punt that returner Josh Golden brought back to the USU 27. The Aggie defense couldn’t hold against the short field and ASU running back Randy Hill took in a one-yard run for the Sun Devils only rushing touchdown.
Wade led Sun Devil rushers with 61 yards. Hakim Hill and Randy Hill also added 57 and 47 yards apiece. USU’s defense allowed 161 total rushing yards.
Utah State returner Jerome Dennis gave the Aggies good field position on the ensuing kickoff, returning the ball out to USU’s 42-yard line. Dennis had four returns for 103 yards in the game.
Utah State’s offense took advantage of the return with a 10-play, 58-yard drive highlighted by a 24-yard Cooley catch on third and 10 that moved the ball to the ASU six. Cooley caught a lateral on the next play and ran the ball in for the score. Cooley was given credit for a rushing touchdown, making the score 13-7 for Arizona State.
Utah State’s defense forced a punt on ASU’s next possession, but Cox threw the first of his three interceptions. Arizona State cornerback Riccardo Stewart returned the pickoff 18 yards for a touchdown. The Sun Devils failed to convert the two-point attempt and the score going into the half was 19-7.
Cox threw another interception on the first play of the second half, giving Arizona State first-and-goal at the 7-yard line, but Utah State’s defense got tough, stopping the Sun Devils on fourth down at the 1-yard line.
The Aggies appeared to gain momentum from the big stop as the offense marched the ball from their own 1-yard line down to the ASU 19, where Ben Chaet kicked a 36-yard field goal to bring the Aggies within nine points.
Dennehy said he hopes the defense will remember their goal-line stand when similar situations happen in the future and say to themselves, “Let’s buckle up and do it again.”
“That was unbelievable,” Dennehy said. “That was uplifting for everybody.”
Cox was picked off again later in the third quarter, giving it to Arizona State at the USU 32-yard line, but Aggie defensive back Terrance Washington took the ball right back, intercepting Walter on a tipped pass.
Arizona State scored on an 11-play, 75-yard drive at the beginning of the fourth quarter that made it 26-10 on another Fulton touchdown grab.
USU kept fighting to the end, coming back with a 75-yard drive of their own that ended with an 11-yard TD toss from Cox to Fiefia before the Aggie comeback faltered.
-royburton@cc.usu.edu